


You Have The Opportunity

by ColorTeal



Series: Cliffjumper Lived AU [1]
Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Also (Most) Everyone Else Lives, Cliffjumper Lives: The AU, Decepticons Becoming Autobots, Decepticons Becoming Neutrals, more tags to come
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-02-18 16:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2355215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorTeal/pseuds/ColorTeal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An injured Starscream is found by Cliffjumper who, despite a previous attempt to offline him, wants to help him. (Takes place during the ep "Out of his Head")</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cliff still remembered their last meeting. He lost one of his horns in the fight, and still hadn't been able to have that replaced.

Starscream had nearly killed him.

But this time was different. Starscream always looked powerful, bigger, when he was flying. Or looming over you. When he didn't have Megatron behind him to put him into perspective. Now the scrawny leggy seeker was sitting in the dirt before him, and Cliffjumper decided the decepticon wasn't a threat.

With all that surface damage, there had to be some internal issues going on. Potentially serious issues.

Cliffjumper glanced around the darkening sky, looking for the warship. “Aren’t ya’ gonna call Megatron?”

“Who do you think did _this_?!” Starscream gestured to himself.

“Er, well…” Cliff rubbed at the back of his helm. “What did you do?”

“I was melting that glacier for that energon deposit when you autobots showed up, and after your precious leader destroyed that heat ray,” Starscream paused in his snarling, glaring up at Cliff. “Megatron, who may I inform you had NO brain activity came out of nowhere, threw me against the ship, and ignored YOU to do THIS to me!”  

“…He wasn’t dead he was just elsewhere.” Cliffjumper stated blankly. Starscream’s face skewed with confusion. “Yeah like! He somehow got into Bumblebee. And then he was gone, and Bee’s okay now.”

“I don’t care if your pesky yellow scout is okay!” The silvery seeker winced. “I’m _not_ okay! Look at me!”

“Alright, alright, calm down, friend.” Cliff dropped to a knee, reaching toward Starscream who had dug his heels into the dirt to push himself out of reach. “…What are you doing?”

“…What are _you_ doing?” Starscream repeated the question, albeit with a far sharper and displeased tone.

“I was just gonna look at your injuries, Starscream.” Cliffjumper held his servos out, palms-up. “I’m not a doctor, but most everyone can fix some minor wounds. Comes with the war.”

“It’s… the same on the decepticon side. For the most part.” Starscream kept his unblinking optics on the red autobot, ready to kick away again. “I never had to though, I-“

“Well yeah, you’re Megatron’s second in command, I’m not surprised that you’ve never had to.” Cliff reached and held a wing to keep the decepticon in place. “You never did do much hard fighting before Cybertron went dark.”

“Why are you doing this.”

“Hm?” Cliff kept his blue optics on an open wound in silver armor, under Starscream’s arm.

“This. Why haven’t you finished me off? I’m weak and _injured_ and I cannot fly! You can easi-“

“Woah, woah, no.” Cliff gently lowered the arm in his servos and stared at Starscream. “I only finish off cons I've fought myself. Ones who don’t back off, at least.”

“You’re foolish enough to not finish me off, to not take advantage of this opportunity and just ki-“

“I am.”

“What.”

“I am that foolish, apparently, since I have no plans of even hurting you.”

Starscream was quiet as the autobot looked over his wounds, noticing that he let go of his wing and looked his arms and chest over with both hands.

“For the most part, I think you’re okay but I really think I should call Ratchet and he ca-“ He could see the expression on Starscream saying everything he couldn't; He was far from okay with the idea of having more autobots in his personal space, especially as injured as he was. “Starscream, it’s either Ratchet or Knockout, and while I can’t speak for the mech’s skills, choosing Knockout means going back to the Nemesis.”

“And choosing Ratchet means going to your autobot base where I’ll be a _prisoner_!”

“Nah, Starscream, I can try to vouch for you.”

“…You remember I tried to _kill_ you earlier in this planet’s solar rotation, right?”

“Oh, uh.” Cliff’s charcoal servo went to the back of his helm. “Yeah. But you can’t just go back to the Nemesis. And you can’t just sit out here.”

“I’ll be fine!”

“Nah, Starscream. Look- You got debris under your armor, some dislodged plates, and some of your cables are gonna snap if you try to lift anything even half your weight.” Cliffjumper sighed. “Even if your t-cog’s fine, you still can’t transform, you’ll hurt yourself further.”

“Why should you care?” Starscream crossed his arms, walling himself off from the red mech.

“I shouldn’t.” Cliff laughed. “I really shouldn't!”

Starscream fell quiet again. Laughter wasn't something often heard on the Nemesis, the sound just as foreign to him now as Cybertron itself.

“I’m calling Ratchet. He’ll be angry, but I’m sure he’ll help.” The burly mech commed the base, waiting for an answer. “Actually, everyone there except maybe Optimus is gonna be angry at me for thi- Ratchet? Hey. I need a groundbridge.” He looked at Starscream again with a confident grin. “And you’re not gonna like what I’m about to say, Doc. Wh-, no I’m not injured.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Cliffjumper?” The autobots glanced over at the sound of Ratchet’s voice from his groundbrindge console. “What are you doing, there’s a decepticon signal right at your coordinates!”

At the sound of the potential danger, Arcee immediately cursed under her heated vents, and it took a half-step and a glance from Bulkhead to keep her mind from contemplating bolting to her partner.

“You want to what?!” Ratchet yelled into the screen, bringing concern from Optimus. A glance between the old pair moved Ratchet into turning the volume up.

“Yeah I’ve got Starscream here!” Cliff sounded cheerful even through radio static. “He’s pretty badly injured, and-“

“No! No, no absolutely not, you are not asking me to groundbridge a decepticon into our base!”

“Pretty sure I was, Ratchet, till you interrupted me.”

“No, Cliffjumper.” Ratchet huffed, looking to Optimus for his thoughts.

“Cliff,” Arcee was too fast for Bulkhead to block this time, and the blue motorcycle swerved past Bumblebee to the console. “He tried to kill you last time, and now you want to bring him home because he’s injured?”

“Yeah, thought that was clear when I asked. You guys hearin’ me alright?” Cliff chuckled into the comm.

“Optimus,” Ratchet sighed with worry before glancing up at the Prime. “We cannot possibly allow Starscream into our base. Injured or not.”

“I believe Cliffjumper wouldn't have asked us to help a Decepticon, unless there were no other options.” Optimus answered honestly. “Cliffjumper?”

“Yea, boss?”

“Does Starscream have any other options he could pursue in seeking medical attention?”

“Nah, Prime. Megatron was the one who beat him up pretty badly.” In the pause, Ratchet silently repeated the name of the warlord to Optimus. “He’s not feelin’ too inclined to go back to the warship, even if he’d prefer their doctor over Ratchet.”

Ratchet and Arcee both could see Optimus calculating odds, thinking over his choices.

“You cannot possibly be considering letting Starscream, of all Decepticons, into the base?” Arcee’s voice wavered. “You remember how badly Cliffjumper was injured.”

“Arcee, even with our resources as low as they are,” Optimus looked to Ratchet. “We cannot deny a cybertronian aide. However, I will admit I have my reservations.” He faced the green console screen again. “Cliffjumper? Tell Starscream that the autobots will help him, under certain conditions.”

“Yeah, he didn’t look too happy to hear that, but he’s still here. What’s on?”

“He will be confined to the medbay, and under guard at all times. He will not be free to move, and his weapons will be disabled. If he acts out,” A glance was given towards the kids, peeking over their couch at the situation stressing out their autobot friends.  “We will react, and use deadly force if necessary. However, should he abide by our rules we will groundbridge him to anywhere he chooses after he’s been repaired.”

It was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. The last thing Team Prime heard was a muffled and distant “Mute it!” before the static ceased. Starscream made Cliffjumper put them on hold.

And then the static returned with a chipper voice.

“Ratchet, get me and Starscream a groundbridge.”

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this hasn't been updated. I swear it's a big project and i'm gonna write alot more for it, school's just had me busy. Turns out i have alot of chapters i haven't posted that have been in my drafts forever so I'm releasing those.
> 
> Please tell me what you think! Comments/Crit is super appreciated!

“Starscream, you need to hold still!”

“Yeah well, I’m not a fan of being _cuffed_!”

“It’s the only way I can fix you!”

Cliffjumper struggled to diffuse the situation between Ratchet and Starscream. Starscream was a terrible patient, and Ratchet wasn't into the idea of helping the Decepticon, much less having him in the Autobot outpost.

“Starscream, sit still and this’ll be over faster!” Cliff said, attempting to put a friendly servo on Starscream’s shoulder only to to have the jet jerk and wretch his shoulder away.

“I want-”

“I want you to sit still so I can fix you and get you out of our base!” Ratchet nearly roared. “Sit still, keep quiet, and let us help you like we promised we would, Starscream.”

In the span of a few seconds, Starscream made more demands before shutting up completely, and Cliffjumper ended up kicked out of the medbay by the very one he was trying to help. And then he found himself in the confused and glaring optics of his friends and teammates.

“So, how about today, right? Wild.” He tried to break the tension with humor. Arcee was the first to plunge them all back into the tension.

“I cannot _believe_ you thought it was a great idea to do this, Cliff.” Arcee stormed up to him, servo shaking at him. “That’s Starscream.”

“He’s also a Cybertronian like _us_ , Arcee.”

“He’s not like us, Cliff.” Bulkhead interjected. “Starscream’s devious and traitorous, he’s not super strong but he’s got intelligence. He’ll go behind our backs, just like he did with Megatron.”

“Us doing Starscream this favor, it’s putting everyone in this base at risk, Cliff.” Cliffjumper noticed her shoulder roll towards the human kids in the background. “Everyone.”

“...I have a good reason. Besides pitying a really beat up guy who can’t even fly.”

“It’d better be good.” Arcee crossed her arms, Bulkhead doing the same and Bumblebee’s wings twitched in waiting.

A long silent moment, with everyone staring at him, waiting expectantly for his answer.

“What goes around comes around.”

Bulk dropped his arms and groaned loudly. Bee’s wings drooped as he tilted his head and Arcee’s servos went to the sides of her helm.

“Whatever happens is on you, Cliff, and if Miko gets hurt-”

“Or Jack-”

“ _Or Raphael-_ ”

“You need to stop worrying about the what-if’s.” Cliffjumper defended. “We hold up our end of this deal, Starscream’ll remember it.”

“While they have reason to believe that Starscream could attempt to harm any one of us, as he has or has tried to injure us all before,” Optimus intervened the brewing confrontation. “Every individual is capable of change. It is possible that Starscream will leave when asked, with no malevolent intentions during his stay.”

“I hope that’s soon.” Arcee huffed, storming away. Bulkhead followed after her with their team scout just behind him.

They left Cliffjumper with Optimus.

“You… think I’m doing the right thing?” Cliffjumper let his famous confidence falter. “...Optimus, you didn't see the condition he was in.”

“You have a warm spark, Cliffjumper. Something so few cybertronians have anymore.” Optimus gave the slightest smile. “Willingness to help someone like Starscream wouldn't come so easily to most.”

“They’re right though, he’s still dangerous. I know this can easily go south, boss.”

“Cliffjumper, I know you will be the first to engage him in a fight if he tries to attack.” Optimus put a large black servo on Cliff’s back.

They were interrupted when Ratchet called from their makeshift medbay.

“Cliffjumper? I’m done working on your decepticon, now you get to watch him first.” Ratchet grumbled.

“Right!” Cliffjumper grinned, moving swiftly for a big mech, giving a wave to the three kids on his way past them. “Hey, Starscream,” He spoke just as he entered. “How are ya feelin’?”

He got a weak groan in response. The silver jet didn't even move his servos, lift his head, open his optics.

“You’re lookin’ better, now that you’re all patched up.”

Another groan, deeper than the first.

“You should make some word sounds instead. When you’re able to, I mean.”

A third groan, longer than the first two combined.

“If that means you want me to leave, sorry,” Cliff chuckled. “I brought you in, I got saddled with first watch.”

Another groan, but Starscream at least started moving and opening his optics.

“Are you going to talk like that the _entire_ time?”

“Yeah, probably. Nothin’ much else to do here at this base.”

“Why do my arms feel weird.” Starscream shifted, one arm holding the other now.

“Ratchet disabled your weapons, probably. Part of the deal, and he knows how to do it so I guess he already did that.” The red bot dropped himself in the closest chair.

“So, how long do I get to play prisoner?”

“I dunno.”

“What?! I demand to know immediately!” Starscream clenched his servos into tight fists.

“I’ll ask Ratchet later but you know there’s no way you’re getting out overnight. You’re probably gonna be here a little while.” Cliff said apologetically. “I’ll ask Ratchet in a little bit about when ya might be able to leave.”

Starscream just huffed in response, sinking where he lay with his arms crossed over his chest. And Cliff sat uncomfortably in that silence. He wasn't one for quiet, quiet usually meant something was wrong.

“You watch any tv?”


	4. Chapter 4

Days had passed, and if the Autobots had tried to keep Starscream a secret from the kids, it would have been found out by now. The seeker was loudly demanding and seemed to have no concept of an indoor voice to the Autobots.

Ratchet was ready to boot him through the groundbridge early. “It’s only aftercare and maintenance at this point,” He claimed. “He can do that elsewhere.”

But Optimus and Cliffjumper agreed with Starscream that the deal was to allow Starscream to remain in their base until healed, and even Bulkhead was on their side of the argument. “If he gets hurt again before he’s healed he’ll end up worse off. Saw it all the time in the Wreckers in the lucky ones that lived, who couldn’t stay still long enough before going back out, and still somehow came back alive.” He had said, with a glance to Wheeljack. “He’ll just end up back here.”

Arcee, while agreeing with it, was less than pleased to hear Starscream was staying around longer. The blue bot took off before the conversation really ended, and found herself with Jack and Raf.

“I don’t understand, if he’s a Decepticon, why are the Autobots helping him?” Raf asked, watching Bee take over watch duty for Optimus.

“Combine the numbers of  surviving Decepticons with surviving Autobots, and there really aren’t that many cybertronians left in total. With who knows how many neutrals.” Arcee sighed. “There was the start of the war, the Exodus because of it, the war continued until Cybertron went dark and then everyone scattered.”

“So it’s really that important that Starscream doesn’t die?” Jack cocked his head in asking, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. “Are your numbers that bad?”

“I’d vouch for no, but the honest answer is yes, Jack.”

“Hopefully he leaves soon.” Raf flinched at a new wave of Starscream’s yelling. “Bee doesn’t trust him.”

“I think the only one who does is Cliffjumper.” Arcee sighed. “And he’s an idiot for it. I’d understand for you kids, but everyone else here knows the kind of things Starscream’s done for this war.”

“What would you have done?” Jack blurted before drawing himself back. “I mean, if you found Starscream, instead of Cliff?”

“At best, I would have left him where I found him.” She vented sharply.

“Now, that’s not very kind, ‘Cee.” Arcee looked over her shoulder, finding Cliffjumper driving toward her, Jack, and Raf, only transforming with enough time to just avoid crashing into the group.

Arcee rose from where she crouched, keeping her focused scowl on her face.

“I still don’t agree that this was a good idea, Cliffjumper." Arcee rose from where she crouched, keeping her focused scowl on her face. "Starscream is too dangerous.”

“I know you’re upset, Arcee.” Cliff let his usually happy and confident expression break. “You know I’ll put Starscream out myself, if I have to. But that shouldn’t be our go-to action against Decepticons.”

“No, it shouldn’t.” The smallest Autobot walked past him, anger easily read in her voice. “But it should be for certain individuals.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

“Have you thought about where you’re gonna go after this?” Cliff asked with genuine concern, undoing the bonds Starscream had worn for far too long in the jet’s opinion.

“That’s not any concern of yours.” He nearly hissed, flexing his wrists and trying to ignore Ratchet and Arcee behind the more friendly red Autobot closest to him.

“Well, it’s a concern I have.” The brawler chucked. “Can’t help myself, we didn't take care of you all this while just to send you out to undo it all.”

“We just need the coordinates for the groundbridge, Starscream.” Ratchet vented lowly. “Then you can leave and this base will finally be quiet again.”

“I’m just curious, Starscream, you don’t exactly have many options.” Cliffjumper kept his smile the the concern in his vocalizer was heavy. “You got the Nemesis and the Decepticons, and going neutral… or.”

“No.” Ratchet said quietly in the background.

“Or you can stay here.” Cliff finished.

“ _No._ ”

“I’m certain that isn't an option for me, _Autobot_.” Starscream snarled quietly, optics flickering to glance at Arcee for a slight second.

“Well, it’s not up to me.” Cliffjumper looked over Starscream, where Optimus was observing and ready to escort Starscream through the bridge. “But it might be something you can do.”

“Cliffjumper!” Ratchet moved in, brows arched sharply. “You can’t be serious, it was _bad enough_ that you brought him here but now you want to offer him a _permanent_ residence here?!”

“Well, I mean,” Cliff turned away from the jet sitting across from him and looked between the autobot medic and Arcee. “I’m okay with it. I know you guys aren't but if he goes back to the Nemesis, this might happen again.”

“I’m still here, Autobots!” Starscream let out, loud enough that it echoed in the base and startled Cliffjumper and Ratchet from the sudden volume.

“Right, sorry Starscream, I just got a little carried away there.” Cliff said, opening his mouth to continue but closing it. Starscream’s wings hiked up and became stiff in their joints at the sound of Optimus walking closer behind him.

“Starscream, your behavior during your stay here has been surprising, given what we know about you.” Optimus spoke gently, Starscream still frozen stiff with his back to Prime. “I would be amenable to allowing you to stay, if that is what you choose for yourself.”

“Optimus, you can’t be serious.” Arcee stormed towards the largest autobot on the planet. “We can’t just allow Starscream free to roam around the base. This feels like a trap, to me.”

“Wh- I didn’t get beat so badly by Megatron in order to, to infiltrate!” Starscream lashed out. “If that was the plan, the Decepticons would have sent a vehicon since you Autobots are _so eager_ to help everyone!”

“...Starscream was injured quite severely.” Ratchet slowly spoke, breaking the pause that had formed.

“Ratchet,” Arcee whipped around. “This is _Starscream_.”

“Arcee.” Optimus spoke up, stern but concerned as he glanced to the silver seeker so much smaller than himself. “Your reservations are easily understood. And I do not advocate trusting Starscream blindly at this time.”

Cliff listened to his leader and his partner, but he kept his blue optics on Starscream. This was the quietest he’d ever seen heard when he wasn't recharging.

“Optimus, we have children, _human children_ in the base. Everything we are, everything we have is here, and if Starscream is free to roam the base…” Arcee trailed off. There were too many things that could go wrong for her to list.

“We all can keep watch over Starscream.” Cliff jumped in. “Arcee, he’d never be alone in the base, someone’s always here.”

“It’s still a risk. But this isn’t up to me.” Arcee crossed her arms. “And what we do depends on him.”

“Yes, I’m still here.” Starscream interrupted noisily, arms raised. “While you all were seemingly having a contest over who disliked me the most I've made my decision.”

Everyone leaned in varying amounts, each hoping for a different answer.

“I _refuse_ to return to Megatron.” Starscream put a clawed servo over where he previously had a gaping hole. “And going neutral means living on handfuls of energon and slowly _starving to death_.”

Arcee let out a long vent, optics shut with her helm tilted back. Ratchet’s shoulders sagged, and Cliff kept his positive grin.

“Since I’d rather not be murdered, or starve, I _guess_ I will remain here.”

“Cool!” Cliffjumper broke the tension-filled silence first. “We should probably get that Decepticon emblem off you, and we can-”

“If you think my choosing to leave the Decepticons and stay with you Autobots means I’m choosing to _be_ an Autobot, you are mistaken.” The now ex-Decepticon growled.

 


	6. Chapter 6

When the kids had left the base the previous evening they had expected Starscream to be gone when they came after school the next day. The seeker went unseen by them the entire time he spent recovering but was most definitely heard.

They had mixed reactions when they were picked up from school, each being told by their respective autobot partner that Starscream was here to stay. Jack and Raf held onto their cautious outlook and reservations based on what had been told to them, but Miko expressed interest in meeting a cybertronian who could turn into a jet, growing new concern for her in Bulkhead.

“You’re likely not going to see him today.” Arcee brought the conversation back up, transforming in the base as soon as Jack hopped off of her. “Optimus is making rules for him and going to make sure Starscream understands them first.”

“That and he doesn’t seem to be interested in being anywhere near humans.” Bulk added, handing Miko the guitar case she forgot in the backseat again.

“If that’s where Optimus is, where’s Cliff and Wheeljack?” Jack asked, after glancing around. There were usually more giant  transforming metal aliens around when they arrived from school.

“They’re out,” Ratchet answered from the groundbridge console, typing away at a keyboard. “Starscream provided some coordinates for energon deposits, and they’re making sure there’s actually energon, empty of Decepticons, not traps, et cetera, et cetera.”

Bee whirred excitedly at the news, more energon was always a good thing, but Bulk and Arcee were less than ecstatic. “Since when does Starscream tell us where to find energon?”

“Since this morning, apparently.” was Ratchet’s answer. “He gave Optimus and myself the coordinates sometime after you took the children to school and during your patrols. If he’s right, we could have more energon by the end of the week than we’ve ever had on Earth before.”

“Well, that’s good. Right? More energon is always good?” Jack looked between the towering autobots around him.

“It is good, Jack. Better than good, it’s actually fantastic.” Ratchet didn’t even pull away from his work.

“Yo, Ratchet.” Cliffjumper unknowingly interrupted. “Some of these deposits are mined, there’s not much left, Wheeljack said the one in the glacier is still untouched and massive though, and I’ve got a massive reading where I’m at now. This one might be the size of Jasper, it’s the biggest one we’ve ever found. Not sure how buckethead missed it.”

“Marking it down for excavation later.” Ratchet logged the coordinates. “You ready to come back? Kids are here.”

“Yeah, bridge me in! Get Wheeljack too, I think he’s just foolin’ around out there at this point.” Cliff laughed into the comm.

Wheeljack came through first, after much bickering between the medic and the wrecker and after a switch to Cliffjumper’s coordinates, the red autobot strode back into the base.

“Now, is today a good day, or is today a good day?” He laughed on his way over to Arcee. “‘Cee, you wouldn’t believe how much energon we’ve found today. We’re gonna sit pretty for a long while.”

“We still have to get to it before the Decepticons do, Cliff.”

“Nah, we got this.” Wheeljack popped the swords out of his shoulders, resting them on the wall. “We’re excavating tonight, I’m gonna pop by the Jackhammer and get some explosives ready.”

“Energon is combustible though.” Raf chipped in with worry. “Aren’t explosives dangerous for this sort of thing?”

“Hey, don’t worry, Raphael. It’s just standard procedure.” Cliff assured. “Gotta blow away the rocks to actually get to the good stuff.”

Green lights and an alarm went off, the motion sensor on the top of the base had been activated.

“Fowler’s here.” Ratchet said, the alarm enough to pull him away from his work. “He doesn’t know about you-know staying here yet.”

“You haven’t told him, Doc?” Wheeljack was actually surprised. “I’m not stickin’ around for this.”

“Good, saves me the trouble of telling you to leave so you don’t make this worse than it needs to be.” Ratchet stepped back into his console, servos busier than before.

The elevator doors opened with a soft hiss and Fowler, suit crisp and his work face on, stepped through. “What’s this about something worse?” He asked.

“Hey Fowler, nice seein’ ya. Been awhile.” Cliff approached confidently, just fast enough to be out of Arcee’s reach before she could grab for him. “So, we’ve only got good news.”

“Really, because Ratchet’s reports showed a huge jump in use of supplies, and the boys at the Pentagon wanna know why,” Fowler leaned over the guardrail, looking over Cliff to the white-and-mandarin medic trying to stay out of the conversation. “You bots tend to keep a pattern, and lately that pattern’s been broken. My boss’s boss want to know what happened.”

“We had injured.” Arcee kept her answer short and curt.

“And… you’re all okay now?” Fowler’s glance bounced between the red and the blue autobot, brow arched curiously. “Nothing out of the ordinary you need to be telling me about?”

“Well, we have more good news, if ya wanna hear it from us and not Ratchet’s reports.”

“Cliff, _no_.” Arcee whispered in a low and harsh tone.

“And what’s that?”

“We increased our numbers by one!” Cliffjumper beamed. Arcee put her face in her silver servos.

“Well, that’s good. Right? Has to be.” Fowler stumbled over himself. “They won’t like that news back at the base, even if its good news. The government isn’t fond of the idea of more aliens showing up.”

“S’alright, Fowler.” Cliff waved his hand, smiling and dismissing all serious tones. He was always good at interacting with Fowler, but Arcee felt this was too much honesty.

“So, who’s the new bot?” Fowler had his hands on his hips.

“Wh- uhh...”

“The new guy? That you just told me about? I have to have a name, everything I did when you and Arcee joined, I have to do for him too.”

“Oh. Uh. Well, you’ve already heard of the guy!” Fowler arched a brow. Arcee tried to avoid letting her horror of this situation be visible. “It’s. Ah. Starscream. Starscream’s joined Team Prime.”

Fowler’s face dropped and he put a hand on the back of his head. “They are not gonna like this news.”

Cliff cocked his helm to the left. “Why? It’s one more on our side.”

“Because it’s just gonna tell everyone on my side involved with this that you aliens can switch sides. That you’re not just- just that the ones we’re having you blow up can be good, and if the Decepticons can be good, then the autobots can be bad and I’ve had _enough_ trouble in dealing with them over Wheeljack.”

“Fowler, Starscream is still gaining the trust of the Autobots at this base.” Arcee stepped up. “We’ll keep you informed about this, his specific rules set by Optimus, and any major events regarding Starscream.”

“Good. I don’t have time to meet your new teammate right now, but next time.” Fowler cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. “Sorry if it seemed like you were in trouble due to me coming via helicopter. This came up and the base was on the way.”

“May as well, right?” Cliff laughed, and managed to get a chuckle out of the human too. “Take care Fowler.”

The kids and bots both waved Fowler goodbye as he exited, and as soon as the doors shut Arcee found herself in Cliffjumper’s massive arms, lifted off the ground.

“Everything's looking up, ‘Cee.” He lifted her off the ground. “I thought that was gonna go badly with Fowler!”

“I thought so too, that’s why I _wasn’t_ planning on us telling him yet.” Arcee replied into his armored chest.

“Tell who what?”

Everyone turned to find Starscream peeking from the corridor, Optimus behind him waiting patiently for the jet to have the confidence to enter the room himself.

 


	7. Chapter 7

“You just missed Fowler, Optimus.” Ratchet filled in.

“He knows Starscream’s here.” Arcee added.

“And it went better than expected.” Cliff finished, grinning.

“Who’s Fowler?” Starscream asked, face scrunched up.

“Agent Fowler is our envoy to the government on this part of this planet.” Optimus explained gently. “It would be wise to meet with him next time he comes here.”

Starscream groaned, but remained leaning into the corner, unwilling to leave the wall.

A tiny “Hey!” got the attention of everyone, finding Miko leaning heavily over the back of the couch. “Hi Starscream. So you turn into a jet, how fast can you fly? What’s your wingspan? Can you get into space?”

It was quiet for an entire minute, Starscream watching as Miko waited for answers, and the two children behind her stood there unbelieving of her boldness once more.

“You keep disg- er, you keep… humans.... here this long?” Starscream pointed at the tiny trio.

“Just on Fridays and the weekend.” Cliff laughed. “It’s actually time to get them home.”

“Can Starscream take me home?” Miko bounced in place.

“There is no room for a jet of Starscream’s size to land in your neighborhood, Miko.” Optimus told her, gaining a sad look from her. “Bulkhead will take you home, as usual. For now, Starscream is not permitted to leave the base.”

“Can’t leave the base at all, cannot be left unsupervised for any amount of time except for my pitiful excuse for a room which is still under guard…” Starscream huffed as he listed all the rules only he had to follow.

“That sucks.” Miko scooped up her bookbag. “Maybe later, then?”

“C’mon, gather all your things,” Cliff leaned over the kids. “Miko, make sure you remember your phone charger. Jack, don’t stay up too late doing math.”

Starscream watched from a distance as Bulkhead and Bee showed up, transforming with Arcee, watched how they let humans on or inside them before disappearing through not the ground bridge but the pressure-sensitive exit instead.

“Why wouldn’t you just bridge them to their destination?” Starscream asked, finally stepping lightly into the main part of the base.

“Hrm?” Ratchet looked up from his work. “The human children actually live within driving distance of this base. It’d be a waste of energy to use the groundbridge for that.”

“But each use of the groundbridge should only use a minor amount of energon, this isn’t a space bridge.” Starscream looked into the carved out section that held the walkway of their bridge. “The amount is so minor you should barely register it.”

We also don’t have as much energon as the Decepticons.” Ratchet huffed, open servo palm-up and shaking at Starscream.

“Is it calibrated correctly?” Starscream kneeled down where groundbridge-specific technology was partially hidden and safe from being stepped on.

“Hwh? Of course it is!” Ratchet argued, offended. “I built this bridge myself, Starscream! It isn’t perfect, I’m a doctor, not an engineer but we’ve had no catastrophes thus far.”

“Except, if you have as little energon as you say, using more than necessary every time you bridge someone in or out _is_ a catastrophe.”

“And what do you know about groundbridges, Starscream?” Ratchet couldn’t help but sound defensive.

“I oversaw the construction of the Decepticon’s spacebridge.”

“Oh.”

“A groundbridge is different, but only because it’s simplified.” Starscream dug around, wings looking like they’re sticking out of the ground.

“Starscream, I’m not comfortable with you rooting around in my groundbridge.” Ratchet stepped closer, looming over.

“Hold on, I got this, Ratch.” Cliffjumper joined, servos held up to calm Ratchet before he crouched. “...What are you looking for?”

“Wh, Cliffjumper when you said you had this I _thought_ you were going to remove Starscream from the bridge power center!”

“Ratchet, he’s just-”

“Can you lot stop bickering for two seconds?” Starscream suddenly popped up, head parallel with everyone else’s pedes. “There were loose cables down here, and the, I’m guessing you used aluminum you should pick something better, the coating between the conductor, the energy reserve, and the rest of the bridge has been eroded from heat.”

Cliffjumper, Optimus, and Ratchet stood there, gawking. Red optics flickered between the three before Starscream half groaned-half sighed.

“Before the war, I was a scientist. I didn’t work with space bridges initially but-”

“But you just what, picked up on it because you were around space bridges?” Cliff interrupted.

“Essentially. Yes. I did.” Starscream answered, steeling himself for negative responses.

“Cool.” Cliffjumper held out a nearly-black servo and helpfully pulled the jet away from the bridge powerhousing. “Scientists are always good to have.”

“I hate to admit it, but you sound like you know your way around bridge technology.” Ratchet gave in. “Alot more than myself, anyways.”

“Maybe that can be something for Starscream to do.” Cliff moved his vision from Ratchet, to Optimus, to Starscream. “What’ddya say? Instead of fighting or skulking around being bored, what about fixing the bridge, making it better?”

“I’m fine with it, Starscream’s complaining is grating.”

“He is qualified, would be easy to supervise and Starscream would be assisting the base.”

“And you’d get to really know team prime!” Cliff added. “So maybe someone besides me will start liking you too.”

Starscream took a pause to think about his decision while they talked at him. Bridge duty was boring even on the Nemesis, something always delegated as far away as possible. However boring though bridge duty took trust, that was an undeniable fact.

"Whatever." was his answer. Being trusted with this was nothing worth being excited about. And hearing Bulkhead on the speakers reporting that the kids' guardians were all returning, Starscream slunk back into the tiny room cleared out for him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So talking with a friend late into the night created the Cliffjumper Lives AU, also lovingly reffered to as Cliffjumper: Everyone's Best Friend and The Adventures of Cliffjumper and his Deceptiducklings.
> 
> This is just for fun even if there's gonna be alot of it! Basically me and the friend decided that Starscream ruined his own life along with the Autobots' by killing Cliffjumper and everything else after that rolled along with this thought. Everything in this work comes from that one first tiny idea.


End file.
